St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-08-25
ENGLISH AS SHE Is LEARNED.

I
cords as having been given by the pu-
pills of public schools present many
curious examples of ignorance, care
lessness or misrepresentation as the
case may be. Before as is a mass of
evidence tending to show that this ig-
nOrance, if it be such, is not confined
to the younger pupils of the public
schools by any means. At an exami-
nation of candidates for positions as
teachers in the public schools in one
of the counties of this state held with
in the past year, the following ques-
tiOns were asked among others and
the answers that follow were rendered
by some of the candidates. Of course
it will be understood that only a few
of the questions and the more absurd
of the answers returned are given:
Question What is the difference
between physical and political geOg
raphy9
Some of the answers: U Physical
geography treats of vegetable life. (2)
Physical geography treats of animal
life and the nature of them. (3) Ply
steal geography treats of the size of
the earth.
Question: Why is the earth fatten-
ed at the poles 7
Answers O On account of it's swift
motion round the sun. (2) Because it
is colder at the poles and the force
with which the world whirls.
Question For what is the date 1912
noted
Answers ~ The late civil war. ~
The war with Mexico.
Question For what is the date 1871
noted
Answers: Q) The adoption of the
constitution by the United States. ~
The time when America became indie
pendent of England.
Question: Name the states which
seeded during the civil war.
Among the states named by one of
the candidates was New Hampshire.
Question: When and with what re-
suit was the battle of Trenton fought I?
Answer: The battle of Trenton was
fought in 1868 and resulted in a victO-
~ for the Union side.
Question Who was the author of
the Declaration of Independence
Answers ~ Abraham Lincoln. (2)
Benjamin Franklin. (3 John Adams.
(4 Samuel Adams.
Question: What does the United
States guarantee to each state9
Answers: ~ A governor. ~ A
certain amount of money and gov
ernOr. (3) That it may govern itself
so long as it doesn't conflict with the
United States.
Question Name the most important
powers of congress.
Answer: The most important pow
ers of congress are: He has power to
call out tae militia at any time and the
standing army, and has a right to con-
vene the state legislature at any time
while in session and also has power
to grant reprieves and pardOns and
can give arrest and bail, and entertain
foreign ministers and congress; has
right to say that no officer while in Of
flee receive any present or emOlument,
and if they do so they are removed
from Office or heavy fine.
Question: What is the substance of
the brain ?
Answers (D Marrow. t2) A soft
bOny substance.
Question What is the spinal chOrd9
Answers A nerve that runs along
the back. (2) A long membrane pass
ing from the brain and passing over to
the opposite side of the body.
Before the reader laughs too hearth
ly over the absurdity of some of these
answers he would do we'll to try his
hand at answering them or similar
questions on the spur of the moment.
On the other hand it is only fair to
note that the answers were made in
some instances by graduates of good
schools, and by those who considered
themselves qualified to teach in the
public schools.
We have borrowed a head for this
article from one of the papers read be-
fore the last graduating class of the To-
cal academy, the writer of which very
pertinently suggested that such an
swers though amusing have certain
and there is some reason
for them that it may be we'll to inves-
tigate. Wendell Phillips once con-
demned the public schools of Boston
"for not teaching the pupils any thing
that the world will give them living
for knowing" in other words for not
teaching things that the pupils ought
to know. 1t is barely possible that a
good reason for the answers may be
found lurking in Mr.. Phillips condem-
nation, which will certainly apply to
other than Boston schools.